Light fixture

ABSTRACT

A light fixture comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in an upright position and having upper and lower lamp compartments. There is a window in each of a first pair of opposite sidewalls of each lamp compartment, with the windows in one compartment being vertically intermediate the windows in the other compartment. An electrical socket is mounted on a sidewall of each compartment intermediate the windows therein to receive the electrical end of the lamp for extension generally horizontally within the compartment. A reflector on the inner side of the top of each compartment includes a pair of portions intersecting one another along a line generally vertically aligned with the axis of the lamp in said compartment and curving upwardly and outwardly from the intersection to the first pair of sidewalls. There is a reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the upper compartment having opposite ends which curve downwardly and inwardly from near the windows in said compartment. When the lower compartment is on the lower end of the housing, there is a window in the bottom thereof: otherwise, there is a reflector on the inner side of the bottom thereof similar to the reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the upper reflector.

iiited States Patent Moore [4 Jan. 25, 1972 [54] LIGHT TURE Assistant Examiner:-Thomas A. Mauro Attorney-Hyer, Eickenroht, Thompson & Turner [72] Inventor: Buell Moore, Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Esquire, Inc., New York, NY. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Apr 1969 A light fixture comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in an upright position and having upper and lower lamp compart- [21] Appl. No.: 815,004 ments. There is a window in each of a first pair of opposite sidewalls of each lamp compartment, with the windows in one compartment being vertically intermediate the windows in the [52] US. Cl .240/3, 240/2ghgjfll43ls, other compartment. An electrical Socket is mounted on a l F21 2 sidewall of each compartment intermediate the windows [51] i 41 therein to receive the electrical end of the lamp for extension [58] 0 earc generally horizontally within the compartment. A reflector on the inner side of the top of each compartment includes a pair of portions intersecting one another along a line generally ver- [56] References Cned tically aligned with the axis of the lamp in said compartment UNITED STATES PATENTS and curving upwardly and outwardly from the intersection to the first pair of sidewalls. There is a reflector on the inner side 2,344,221 3/1944 Trautner ..240/25 X f th b ttom of the upper compartment having opposite ends 1, 1961 Moore 3 which curve downwardly and inwardly from near the windows ,21 1 1/1965 Langer X in said compartment. When the lower compartment is on the Glasgow X lower end of the housing there is a window in the bottom thereof: otherwise, there is a reflector on the inner side of the FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS bottom thereof similar to the reflector on the inner side of the 26,435 I 1/1909 Great Britain ..24o/41.3 bottom of the pp reflector- Primary Examiner-John M. Horan 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 PATENTED M2 1 2 FIG. 2

Buell Moore IN VENTOR LIGHT FIXTURE This invention relates generally to light fixtures; and, more particularly, to improvements in pole top fixtures for use in commercial and industrial areas.

Fixtures of this type are often found in parking lots or other large areas requiring relatively bright light. Usually, the fixture is within the outer periphery of the area and reflects light downwardly and outwardly from all four of its sides, and preferably on the area below it as well. In other cases, however, light may instead be required on only a relatively narrow area, and thus to be reflected from only two opposite sides of the fixture.

An object of this invention is to provide such a fixture in which there is a minimum loss of light from the lamp or lamps within it.

A further object is to provide such a fixture which is of simple construction and which is of pleasing appearance.

Another object is to provide such a fixture which may be adapted to many different uses and environments.

These and other objects are accomplished, in accordance with the illustrated embodiments of the present invention, by a light fixture which comprises a housing adapted to be mounted in an upright position and having one ormore lamp compartments, depending on the use to which it is to be put.

There is a window in each of a first pair of opposite sidewalls of each such compartment, and an electrical socket is mounted on another sidewall of the compartment intermediate the windows so as to receive the electrical end of a lamp for extension generally horizontally within the compartment. A reflector on the inner side of the top wall of the compartment includes a pair of portions each of which curves inwardly and downwardly from near one of the windows to intersect with the other portion along a line approximately vertically aligned with the axis of the lamp, In this manner, light is reflected from the lamp in the compartment outwardly through both of the windows.

In the illustrated and preferred embodiments of the invention, the housing includes at least two vertically arranged lamp compartments, with the windows in one being vertically intermediate the other so as to reflect light from all four sides of the housing. There is a reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the upper lamp compartment which has its ends near the windows curving downwardly and inwardly therefrom so as to return light reflected therefrom to the reflector on the top of such compartment.

When the lower lamp compartment is at the bottom of the fixture housing, there is a window on the bottom thereof to reflect light on the area beneath the fixture as well. On the other hand, when the lower reflector is above the bottom of the housing, there is a reflector on its inner side of the bottom thereof having a construction similar to the reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the upper lamp compartment.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are designated by like parts:

FIG. I is a perspective view of one embodiment of a light fixture constructed in accordance with the present invention, and comprising a pair of upper and lower lamp compartments;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the fixture of FIG. I, as seen along broken line 22 thereof; l

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the lower compartment of the fixture of FIGS. 1 and 2, as seen along broken line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged detailed view, as seen along broken line 4-4 of FIG. 2, of a socket for receiving the nonelectrical end of the lamp in each compartment of such fixture;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a light fixture constructed in accordance with the present invention, and having two pair of vertically arranged upper and lower lamp compartments; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the housing of the fixture of FIG. 5, as seen along. broken line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

With reference now to the details of the above-described drawings, the fixture illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 and designated in its entirety by reference character 10, comprises a foursided housing 11 mounted on the upper end of the pole 12 by means of a bracket 13 (the pole and bracket are shown in broken lines). The housing comprises a skeleton framework made up of elongate, interconnected frame members, including horizontal frame members 14 and 15 along its upper and lower edges, frame members 16 along its vertical edges thereof, and horizontal frame members 17 extending between the vertical frame members 16 at the vertical midportion of the housing.

As shown in FIG. 2, the interior of the housing is divided into upper and lower lamp compartments 18 and I9. respectively, above and below the intermediate frame member 16. Also, the frame members define relatively large openings in each of the four sides as well as the top and bottom of each such compartment. The openings in one pair of opposite sidewalls in each compartment are filled by glass windows 20, and the openings in the other pair of opposite sidewalls thereof are closed by panels 21 of any suitable nontransparent material. More particularly, and as previously described, the windows and nontransparent panels of each compartment are staggered vertically with respect to those of the other compartment, so that the windows 20 in each compartment are vertically intermediate those of the other compartment. Consequently, and as previously described, light is reflected from all four sides of the fixture.

The top of the upper compartment 18 of the housing is closed by a nontransparent panel 22 and the opening in the bottom of the lower compartment 19 is closed by a window 23. Consequently, while light is reflected downwardly and upwardly from all four sides of the fixture, it is at the same time reflected downwardly to the area beneath the fixture housing. Also, and as will be described to follow, the upper and lower lamp compartments l8 and 19 are separated from one another so that light from neither can be transmitted to the other.

There is an electrical socket 24 mounted on panel 21 of one sidewall of each compartment to receive the electrical end of a lamp 25 within such compartment for extension generally horizontally thereacross. As shown, the lamp 25 is preferably of the metal additive type which has an enlarged portion intermediate its electrical socket at one end and a protuberance 26 at its opposite, nonelectrical end. More particularly, this type of lamp has an elongated light source in which substantially all of the candle power emanates from the enlarged portion, and thus in a direction upwardly and downwardly in each compartment.

As also shown in the drawings, the longitudinal midportion of the enlarged portion of each lamp is mounted approximately along the vertical centerline of its compartment. The lamp is moved into and out of socket 24 through an opening 27 in the panel 21 of the lamp compartment opposite the panel on which the socket is mounted. Upon mounting the lamp in the socket 24, this opening is closed by a door 28 of the panel removably connected over the opening. Thus, in use, the housing is enclosed in weathertight fashion.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the protuberance 26 on each lamp is engaged and held against substantial vertical movement by a cylindrical socket 29 mounted on the inner side of the door 28. As best shown in FIG. 4, the socket 29 is lined with a layer 29a of asbestos or other heat-insulating and cushioning material for fitting tightly over the protuberance 26 of the lamp 25. As will be understood from the drawings, the socket moves onto and off of the protuberance 26 as the door 28 is moved into and out of position across the opening 27.

A reflector 30 on the inner side of the top of each lamp compartment is made up of a pair of portions 31 which intersect one another along a line 32 generally vertically aligned with the axis of the lamp 25 in compartment. From the intersection 32, each such portion 31 curves upwardly and outwardly to one of the sidewalls in which a window 20 is disposed. As best shown in FIG. 2, the outer ends of the curved portion 31 of the upper reflector is connected to and supported by the frame members 14 along the upper side of each such window, and the outer ends of the curved portions of the upper reflector in the lower compartment 18 are connected to and supported by a subframe extending across the intermediate frame members 16 of the housing.

Each curved portion 31 of the reflector 30 forms part of a parabolic surface having a focal length common to that of the other portion and coinciding with the focal length of the lamp 25. More particularly, the axes of these parabolic surfaces extend at less than 180 to one another so as to direct light reflected from the upper reflector 30 outwardly and downwardly through both windows 20 of each lamp compartment at a desired angle.

There is also a reflector 33 on the bottom of the upper lamp compartment 18 which, as previously mentioned, is also supported on the subframe extending between the intermediate frame members 16. This reflector includes a relatively flat center portion 34 and upwardly and outwardly extending portions 35 at each side thereof which extend substantially from one panel 21 to the other in the upper compartment. As noted in FIG. 2, the side portions 35 of the reflector 33 extend almost to the windows 20 in the upper compartment so as to reflect a large portion of the light from the lamp 35 back to the reflector 30, rather than upwardly and outwardly through the windows in the upper compartment.

The embodiment of the fixture illustrated in FIGS. and 6, and designated in its entirety by reference character 40, also includes a housing 41 mounted on the upper end of a pole 42 by means of a bracket 43 connected to the bottom of the fixture. The housing 41 is also made up of a skeleton framework comprising elongate frame members 44 and 44a at its upper and lower edges, elongate frame members 45 along its vertical edges, and elongate intermediate frame members 46 extending horizontally across intermediate portions of the housing and connecting at their opposite ends with the vertical frame members 45.

In the fixture 40, however, there are four vertically disposed lamp compartments 47, 48, 49, and 50, and thus two pairs of upper and lower compartments 48 and 47 and 50 and 49, respectively, similar to those forming the housing 11 of the fixture 10. Consequently, there are four openings in each sidewall of the fixture, each of which is closed by either a window 51 or a panel 52 of nontransparent material.

More particularly, there are a pair of windows 51 and a pair of panels 52 in each sidewall, with the windows and panels being arranged alternately in a vertical direction. More particularly, the windows and panels in adjacent sidewalls are staggered with respect to one another so that each window and each panel in a sidewall is vertically intermediate windows and panels, respectively, in adjacent sidewalls. Consequently, as in the fixture 10, light will be reflected from all four sides of the fixture 40. However, in the fixture 40, light will ordinarily be reflected over a larger area than in the case of fixture 10.

As is also the case in the fixture 10, the opening in the top of the uppermost compartment of the housing 41 is closed by a nontransparent panel 53, and the opening in the bottom of the lowermost compartment of such housing is closed by a window 54. In other respects, the construction of the fixture 40 will be obvious in view of the foregoing description of the fixture 10, because the arrangement of the lamp 55 and each of the reflectors 58 and 59 in each such compartment is identical to that described in connection with fixture 10.

Thus, a lamp 55 is mounted in each compartment with its electrical end received in an electrical socket 56 mounted on one side panel of the compartment, and its nonelectrical end received within a socket 57 on a removable door of the opposite panel of such compartment. The construction of the sockets 56 and 57 is identical to the sockets 24 and 29 described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4.

In like manner, the reflector 58 on the inner side of the top of each compartment is identical in construction and function to the reflector 30, and the reflector 59 on the bottom of each such lamp com tgartm ent, with the exception of the lowermost compartment is identical in construction and function to the lower reflector 33 described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4.

Further alternative embodiments of the present invention will be obvious from the foregoing description. Thus, for example, the housing may comprise six, eight, or other even numbers of compartments arranged vertically in the manner described in connection with the foregoing embodiments. Furthermore, this invention contemplates that there may be an odd number of housing compartments, thereby reflecting more light from two opposite sides of the fixture than from the other two opposite sides thereof. In fact, and as previously indicated, it may be found desirable to reflect the light in only two directions from the fixture, in which case the housing would consist of only a single lamp compartment. Alternatively, it may be desired to construct a housing consisting of three compartments, such as the compartments 47, 48, and 49 of the fixture 40.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed with reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope ofthe claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A light fixture, comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in an upright position and having upper and lower lamp compartments, a window in each of a first pair of opposite sidewalls of each lamp compartment, said first pair of sidewalls of one compartment being vertically intermediate those of the other compartment, an electrical socket mounted on a sidewall of each lamp compartment intermediate its first pair of sidewalls to receive the electrical end ofa lamp for extension generally horizontally within said compartment, a reflector on the inner side of the top of each compartment, each said reflector including a pair of portions intersecting one another along a line generally vertically aligned with the axis of the lamp in said compartment, each of said portions curving upwardly and outwardly from said intersection toward one of said first pair of sidewalls of said compartment so as to reflect light from the lamp in said compartment upwardly and outwardly through both windows therein, and a reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the upper compartment, the ends of the last-mentioned reflector being adjacent said windows and curving downwardly and inwardly therefrom to return light reflected therefrom to the first-mentioned reflector.

2. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 1, wherein each of said reflector portions forms part of a parabolic surface having its focal length coinciding with the focal length of the other portion and that of the lamp.

3. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 1, including a window in the bottom of the lower compartment of the housing to reflect light from said lamp to the area therebelow.

4. A light fixture of the character defined in claim I, including a reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the lower compartment, the ends of the last-mentioned reflector being adjacent said windows and curving downwardly and inwardly therefrom to return light reflected therefrom to the first-mentioned reflector.

5. A light fixture of the character defined in claim I, including means on the sidewall of each compartment opposite the socket for engaging the opposite end of the lamp. 

1. A light fixture, comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in an upright position and having upper and lower lamp compartments, a window in each of a first pair of opposite sidewalls of each lamp compartment, said first pair of sidewalls of one compartment being vertically intermediate those of the other compartment, an electrical socket mounted on a sidewall of each lamp compartment intermediate its first pair of sidewalls to receive the electrical end of a lamp for extension generally horizontally within said compartment, a reflector on the inner side of the top of each compartment, each said reflector including a pair of portions intersecting one another along a line generally vertically aligned with the axis of the lamp in said compartment, each of said portions curving upwardly and outwardly from said intersection toward one of said first pair of sidewalls of said compartment so as to reflect light from the lamp in said compartment upwardly and outwardly through both windows therein, and a reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the upper compartment, the ends of the last-mentioned reflector being adjacent said windows and curving downwardly and inwardly therefrom to return light reflected therefrom to the first-mentioned reflector.
 2. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 1, wherein each of said reflector portions forms part of a parabolic surface having its focal length coinciding with the focal length of the other portion and that of the lamp.
 3. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 1, including a window in the bottom of the lower compartment of the housing to reflect light from said lamp to the area therebelow.
 4. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 1, including a reflector on the inner side of the bottom of the lower compartment, the ends of the last-mentioned reflector being adjacent said windows and curving downwardly and inwardly therefrom to return light reflected therefrom to the first-mentioned reflector.
 5. A light fixture of the character defined in claim 1, including means on the sidewall of each compartment opposite the socket for engaging the opposite end of the lamp. 